Microsoft's founder will be given the 2006 James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award for his philanthropy and technology benefiting humanity. The award, named after the former CEO of Applied Materials, honors "an individual or organization whose broad vision and leadership on a global scale are helping society find solutions to some of humanity's greatest challenges," the museum said. A committee chose Gates as this year's honoree a couple months ago. That was before Gates said he would be shifting out of his role at Microsoft in two years to focus on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and before Warren Buffett's decision to donate more than $30 billion of his own fortune to that cause.

A Microsoft spokesman said Gates plans to attend the award ceremony Nov. 15 in San Jose.